Building Porsche 914 in Europe with some mods, Modified engine, wiring, interior - new project Options

[Pyetookh]

Hello all,
I was on historic motorcycles for years but was waiting for the right moment to switch to classic car instead. I was also searching classifieds for several years choosing the right classic car to buy. The main contenders were BMW 2002 and Porsche 914.

Unfinished project Porsche 914 appeared for sale not far away from my place some half a year ago. So I went there to have a look. Due to the personality of the seller and obvious intention to sell cheaply we agreed on buying price. Project is 75% finished and there are plenty of spare parts (He had a donor car). But some parts are missing too.
1. The main issue here is absolutely no history! The car was restored by professional car mechanic who died and all his pictures, notes, paperwork, receipts, documents are lost, stolen and missing.
2. My other problem is that I´m Central Europe based and my German is poor. So my only source of information is this forum in US. There doesn´t seem to be such enthusiastic fan base of 914s in Germany and it´s not much economical to order work and parts in Northern America for me.
3. I´m brave enough to do any welding or assembly jobs on my car but I don´t have much experience and I´m not very handy.

Despite all this I would be REALLY thankful if I get any support from well experienced guys here because I have all the commitment to bring another Porsche 914 back to the road.

This build will be for modified Porsche 914 – I would like to upgrade certain parts but rules for historic cars are stupidly strict in my country

I will really appreciate your help with the following:
1. There is 2.0 refurbished T2 bus engine in the car. That will be removed and sold as it is. From all the spare parts I have I would like to build 2056cc engine using my 1.7 crankcase and 1.8 heads (will need to source 2.0 crankshaft and rods, the right camshaft, 40 Webbers, 96 cylinders and pistons).
2. Car electrics – One is in the car but seems to be a bit messy. I have a complete spare one but it´s far from being perfect. I would like to remove FI wiring and add central locking, electric windows, DLR, intermittent wipers, electric windscreen washer
3. Car body is sound and recently resprayed. But I don´t like the colour and the rear wheel arches. Therefore it will be converted to GT flares, will be lowered and go on 16” 205/225 wheels. I would like to weld some reinforcement into the tub.
4. Car interior will need to be done from scratch – All the door window and targa roof trim and seals is missing. I want more like Sheel sport seats. Dashboard to be assembled. Foot pedals to be assembled and connected. New carpets installed.
5. I search for reliable and cheap European parts suppliers

So this is my mission and this is my car

Thank you and have a great day everyone

[chmillman]

Is that 1129586?

If so:

Body number decode:
1129586

First number or two numbers is week of year.
second or third number is day of the week.
9 indicates Karmann factory.
5 indicates the first hundred cars for day. 6 used if exceeds 100
last two numbers indicate which number car it was for the day.

So
11 = week 11 Monday, March 15, 1971, to Sunday, March 21, 1971
2 = Tuesday 16 March
9 = Karmann
5 = First 100 cars of the day
86 = 86th car of the day

However the VIN number does not appear to be in the 914World database
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=membervins

BTW, if you carefully pull the Karman plate and use some paint remover, you might see the numbers as they were engraved. Would also tell you the original paint color code.

[wonkipop]

Is that 1129586?

If so:

Body number decode:
1129586

First number or two numbers is week of year.
second or third number is day of the week.
9 indicates Karmann factory.
5 indicates the first hundred cars for day. 6 used if exceeds 100
last two numbers indicate which number car it was for the day.

So
11 = week 11 Monday, March 15, 1971, to Sunday, March 21, 1971
2 = Tuesday 16 March
9 = Karmann
5 = First 100 cars of the day
86 = 86th car of the day

However the VIN number does not appear to be in the 914World database
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=membervins

BTW, if you carefully pull the Karman plate and use some paint remover, you might see the numbers as they were engraved. Would also tell you the original paint color code.

don't think its 11 at the start of that body stamp for VW production plate number.
using Vin data base here you can get close to OP vin of 07729.
914world vin data has a 07746 and VWpp# is 4459577.
the first number of the stamped number is really hard to discern accurately from photo posted and the second number is a little bit clearer but not much.
my bet is its actually 44 going off close proximity to vin and vwpp# that is 17 cars different.

which would make it a tuesday car of the 44th week of calendar year 1970.
model year 71 being from aug 70 to june 71. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[chmillman]

If so:

Body number decode:
1129586

First number or two numbers is week of year.
second or third number is day of the week.
9 indicates Karmann factory.
5 indicates the first hundred cars for day. 6 used if exceeds 100
last two numbers indicate which number car it was for the day.


don't think its 11 at the start of that body stamp for VW production plate number.
using Vin data base here you can get close to OP vin of 07729.
914world vin data has a 07746 and VWpp# is 4459577.
the first number of the stamped number is really hard to discern accurately from photo posted and the second number is a little bit clearer but not much.
my bet is its actually 44 going off close proximity to vin and vwpp# that is 17 cars different.

which would make it a tuesday car of the 44th week of calendar year 1970.
model year 71 being from aug 70 to june 71. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Well, if you can get ‘44’ as the first two numbers, you’re a better man than I… if you look at my stamping - which actually does begin with 44 totally coincidentally - you can see the angle of the ‘4’ looks quite a bit steeper… Anyway, maybe trying to remove the paint from the painted over Karmann plate might give you more clues…

[wonkipop]

If so:

Body number decode:
1129586

First number or two numbers is week of year.
second or third number is day of the week.
9 indicates Karmann factory.
5 indicates the first hundred cars for day. 6 used if exceeds 100
last two numbers indicate which number car it was for the day.


don't think its 11 at the start of that body stamp for VW production plate number.
using Vin data base here you can get close to OP vin of 07729.
914world vin data has a 07746 and VWpp# is 4459577.
the first number of the stamped number is really hard to discern accurately from photo posted and the second number is a little bit clearer but not much.
my bet is its actually 44 going off close proximity to vin and vwpp# that is 17 cars different.

which would make it a tuesday car of the 44th week of calendar year 1970.
model year 71 being from aug 70 to june 71. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Well, if you can get ‘44’ as the first two numbers, you’re a better man than I… if you look at my stamping - which actually does begin with 44 totally coincidentally - you can see the angle of the ‘4’ looks quite a bit steeper… Anyway, maybe trying to remove the paint from the painted over Karmann plate might give you more clues…

using the vin register. the 11 for a march 71 build equates to a vin in the 11204 vicinity. see 11204 on world vin register with vwpp# 1139544. in other words the next day from the OP's vwpp if its an 11 and not a 44 as first two numbers. there are a few either side of 11204 vin also with the vwpp#s in the 11 first two numbers range.

what i can see is the top third of two 4s with the rest of both numbers obliterated either by surface rust that has been treated and painted over or a dent from below.
44 equates with his vin and the range it would be in.

only other explanation is a car that got pulled off the line and sat for 8 + 11 weeks (close to 4-5 months before it got rectified and given a vin. i think that would be less likely than 44 being the number not 11. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

one way to know a bit more clearly is to clean the overpaint off the karmann plate.
or if its got its original dash that has not been molested to look up there. the number will be visible in crayon on the underside of the metal dash frame. takes a bit of looking to see it and find it but its usually there as well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Pyetookh]

If so:

Body number decode:
1129586

First number or two numbers is week of year.
second or third number is day of the week.
9 indicates Karmann factory.
5 indicates the first hundred cars for day. 6 used if exceeds 100
last two numbers indicate which number car it was for the day.


don't think its 11 at the start of that body stamp for VW production plate number.
using Vin data base here you can get close to OP vin of 07729.
914world vin data has a 07746 and VWpp# is 4459577.
the first number of the stamped number is really hard to discern accurately from photo posted and the second number is a little bit clearer but not much.
my bet is its actually 44 going off close proximity to vin and vwpp# that is 17 cars different.

which would make it a tuesday car of the 44th week of calendar year 1970.
model year 71 being from aug 70 to june 71. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Well, if you can get ‘44’ as the first two numbers, you’re a better man than I… if you look at my stamping - which actually does begin with 44 totally coincidentally - you can see the angle of the ‘4’ looks quite a bit steeper… Anyway, maybe trying to remove the paint from the painted over Karmann plate might give you more clues…

using the vin register. the 11 for a march 71 build equates to a vin in the 11204 vicinity. see 11204 on world vin register with vwpp# 1139544. in other words the next day from the OP's vwpp if its an 11 and not a 44 as first two numbers. there are a few either side of 11204 vin also with the vwpp#s in the 11 first two numbers range.

what i can see is the top third of two 4s with the rest of both numbers obliterated either by surface rust that has been treated and painted over or a dent from below.
44 equates with his vin and the range it would be in.

only other explanation is a car that got pulled off the line and sat for 8 + 11 weeks (close to 4-5 months before it got rectified and given a vin. i think that would be less likely than 44 being the number not 11. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

one way to know a bit more clearly is to clean the overpaint off the karmann plate.
or if its got its original dash that has not been molested to look up there. the number will be visible in crayon on the underside of the metal dash frame. takes a bit of looking to see it and find it but its usually there as well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

You are amazing group of people! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smlove2.gif)

It´s always very sad to own a historic car without its story (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)
My car probably travelled the world - Made in Germany (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_flagge6.gif) Exported to US (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif) Imported to Greece (probably partially restored and resprayed there, registered as historic car with FIVA) and then moved to Czech Republic probably in 2018 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_flagge24.gif) where it started another proper restoration by someone who died half way through. Porsche was bought by me 1 month ago and my mission is to bring it back to the road. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stirthepot.gif)

The first stamped number is maybe 1 but it can be also something with round bottom part (5). I promise to try to clear the number hopefully tonight and post another picture. The second number is 1

I´ll try to clear the paint off my "Karmann plate" but it can take some time due to my oncomming Xmas travelling.

This is the only printed document I have (Don´t have previous owner´s permission to share his name and address). Indicated year is clearly incorrect.